Domestic violence is one of the problems in a society that is often concealed because of fear or feeling of embarrassment. Non-reporting of the perpetrators and the absence of measures to protect the victim often lead to serious consequences, sometimes with a death outcome.
A recent case of attempted murder in Gornja Gusterica village has disturbed residents of central Kosovo, reports KIM radio.
M.T attacked on Thursday and severely injured his wife and inflicted light injuries to their 11-month-old son. The father of the victim spoke about this event for RTV KiM.
“He tried to kill him and then daughter. He failed. My daughter hid the child, she placed him underneath her, and acted as she was dead and so saved her life. He left the house and escaped,” says the victim’s father to RTV KiM.
After the escape, the assailant was arrested and was given a one-month detention.
According to RTV KIM, after receiving the first aid in Pristina, Katarina was sent for treatment to the Kragujevac Clinical Hospital Center. Her condition is stable, but two more serious operations are expected.
“The largest stab is in the lungs, on the left hand she has nineteen stabs, now everything is remediated and sewed. There is a total of 32 stabs,” said the father.
According to the victim’s father, she had previously reported violence to the Police Station in Nis (Serbia proper), but, as he says, they have remained silent. The victim’s family, on the other hand, expected that the situation would change over time and that their daughter would no longer have similar problems.
Family of the suspect M.T. did not want to say anything about the case.
Violence in our area is not a rarity, writes KIM radio.
S.D. from Gracanica suffered violence by her father for several years and later by her husband. She managed to get away from them, but she remained unprotected by the system, and rejected from the rest of the family. Now she lives in a container settlement in Gracanica, reports KIM radio.
“Now that I’ve failed, and I have nothing, no one is watching me. Everyone turns their head. You lose your friends and relatives when you have nothing, then you are nothing. When I went to the Municipality and Social welfare services, they say, “My God, is this woman crazy or she lost her mind, she’s asking for help,” says S.D., who used to have a coffee shop and a boutique.
According to police data, in the municipality of Gracanica, 18 to 20 cases of domestic violence are reported annually, in which victims are mostly women.
“These are reported cases and prosecuted in the further proceedings. However, we probably have the same number of other cases that we are working on and which are not more serious in nature. These are the cases where we include the Center for Social Work or other institutions because it’s not about crimes of more serious nature, “says Boban Simonovic from the Police.
The problem of domestic violence in our society is viewed differently, from those who are horrified by the violence, to those who are either indifferent or have an understanding for the perpetrators.
“We have this patriarchal upbringing. But in my surrounding, I do not see it that much,” says Pavka Kostic from Suvi Do. However, she adds that she would report personally the abuser.
“There is violence, but it’s the hardest is that neither women nor men report it,” says Ragip Sinani.
“There is a lot of violence and all and every thing is happening,” says Marija from Gracanica.
Experience shows that victims of domestic violence mostly remain with the abuser, because of children, and due to financial reasons. Women who decide to leave the perpetrator often remain unprotected, reports KIM radio..
There are no safe houses for victims from Serb areas, so assistance is mostly sought in shelters in central Serbia.
